OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
CANTON MCKINLEY
"Bulldogs"
10/19/05
Williams had 183 yards and two touchdowns this past weekend in a 38-10 win.
Last edited:
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
Looking past Hoover could ruin Bulldogs’ season on two fronts
Thursday, October 20, 2005 By Chris Beaven Repository sports writer
CANTON - Anyone remotely associated with the McKinley High School football team knows what comes next week.
It’s Massillon Week.
It’s a week that all McKinley fans anticipate each season.
McKinley head coach Brian Cross understands that building excitement. But he will have none of it around his unbeaten team this week.
For players and coaches, the focus will be the North Canton Hoover Vikings, a team that easily could spoil McKinley’s season. The two teams meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday at North Canton Memorial Stadium.
“It’s got to be a concern of ours, with everybody talking about Game 10,” Cross said. “If the kids start to listen, it will be a serious problem. We have a very solid opponent in North Canton Hoover, and they’ll be extra hungry, too. A win will get them a share of the Federal League championship and probably assure them a place in the playoffs.
“I’m sure they’re preaching to their players, ‘McKinley’s not going to be thinking about you. They’re thinking about their next game. It’s the perfect situation for us.’ ”
North Canton head coach Don Hertler Jr. wants to see his team respond well to being upset 35-21 last week at Perry.
“You find out what you’re made of as a team when you come off a loss by how you play the next week,” Hertler said. “Hopefully we’ll compete and play hard.”
Cross doesn’t think it should be difficult for his 8-0 Bulldogs to keep their attention locked on this week’s game. With a win, McKinley completes a 7-0 run through the Federal League. The Bulldogs already clinched at least a share of the title last week when they beat Jackson 38-10 and North Canton (6-2, 4-1) lost.
McKinley has not won a league title since sharing one in 1977 when it competed in the All-American Conference. Its last outright title was in 1975. The All-American Conference disbanded after the 1979 season. McKinley was an independent until joining the Federal League last season.
“It’s definitely something we’ve talked about,” Cross said. “We’ve never been Federal League champs, and we have a chance to be outright ... champs. That’s what we want. And it puts us in better position in the playoffs, as far as trying to secure a top-four payoff spot for a home game.”
McKinley is fourth in Region 2, while North Canton is 10th. The top eight make the playoffs, and the top four get first-round home games.
“We look at this week as it’s a (league) championship game, and it increases our chances of hosting a playoff game,” Cross said. “And getting a home game, that’s critical when you look at some of the other teams in the region. You’ve got Toledo St. John’s, Findlay, Elyria. There’s some travel.”
North Canton had won four straight games before the loss at Perry. Hertler does not think his team got caught looking ahead to McKinley.
“We just got beat,” he said. “Perry was really well prepared and made some plays where we didn’t. They just played a very good game. In this league you can’t look at records. The majority of us have the same type of kids. They played better than us that night.”
Hertler thought his Vikings were not as physical as they had been in previous games.
“We’ve been winning close games, and (against Perry) we just didn’t respond like we had,” Hertler said.
Hertler knows his team has little margin for error Friday.
“They’re just so fast and ... physical,” he said of the Bulldogs. “Jackson gave them the best game in the league, and that was still a wide margin. ... There’s a reason why they’re (fourth) in Ohio, and they were in the state finals last year.
“They’ve got good players, they’re well coached, and they are so explosive. Offensively, no one’s really stopped them. We’ve just got to play a really good football game.”
Cross said North Canton’s 5-3 defense will be a challenge for his offense, which has not seen that defensive look.
“They’re going to come after you on defense,” Cross said. “And on offense, just the balance of their running and throwing of the ball is a concern. Any time a team can throw the football, that creates problems for you. And they can beat you by running the ball.” Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]
McKinley at Hoover
SITE North Canton Memorial Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS McKinley 8-0, 6-0; Hoover 6-2, 4-1.
LAST WEEK McKinley 38, Jackson 10; Perry 35, Hoover 21.
LAST MEETING McKinley won 49-14 last year.
WHAT TO WATCH McKinley can lock up an outright Federal League title in its second year in the league with a win. The Bulldogs will need to bring the same intensity to this road game that they came with to Jackson last week. McKinley coach Brian Cross said Hoover is tough to prepare for because of its offensive versatility. “They almost have two offensive sets,” Cross said. “In one they come out and run the ball at you, and in another it’s one back or no back, and they throw the ball all over.” Cross said his defense must be prepared for both looks. “They do both of them well,” Cross said. Hoover QB Josh Nettleton has completed 52.4 percent of his passes for 1,212 yards with 14 TDs and 12 interceptions. Cross said Nettleton is “very sound, he’s making good choices, and he throws a nice ball.” Four Vikings have 11 or more catches, led by Kyle Feinberg (35 for 369) and Matt Wakulchik (24 for 353). Those two have combined for nine TD catches. The Vikings average 101.8 yards rushing per game. Hoover’s 5-3 defense will be a new look for the Bulldogs. “It’s an eight-man front we don’t see all year long, and it changes your blocking schemes,” Cross said. McKinley’s offensive line is coming off a strong performance that enabled the Bulldogs to rush for 296 yards last week. Junior TB Morgan Williams averages 170.8 yards per game. The Bulldogs also are getting good productivity from FBs Mike Kirksey and Demetres Hall. The running game opens the play-action passing combination of QB Dan Grimsley to WR Joe Morgan. Morgan has a TD catch in all seven games he has played. McKinley has 19 offensive scores (24 overall) of 30 or more yards. “They’ve got a great running game and all of their backs, including the quarterback, can take it all the way on every snap,” Hoover coach Don Hertler Jr. said. “And with their vertical passing game, and even their short passing game, they can catch it and go all the way every time. Their stats speak for themselves.” McKinley’s defense scored its third TD of the season when D.C. Alexander went 98 yards with a fumble return last week. Senior DB Harriel Moore forced that fumble and intercepted a pass that led to another Bulldog TD. McKinley’s defense has limited opponents to 173 or fewer total yards five times this season, including the last three games. “Defensively, they’re fairly basic,” Hertler said. “They just line up and come at you, and their closing speed is really, really good.”
McKinley blasts North Canton 39-10
Saturday, October 22, 2005 By CHRIS BEAVEN
Click here to see more
repository bob rossiter McKinley’s Joe Morgan (27) couldn’t quite reach this pass in the end zone as Hoover’s Seth Allman defends during Friday’s game at North Canton. The Bulldogs are 9-0 for the first time since 1997.
Related Stories
Eastlake no match for Tigers
NORTH CANTON - The yards add up quickly once Morgan Williams gets going.
They added up so fast Friday night that his final total surprised even Williams. The junior tied a school record with 335 yards rushing, leading the McKinley High School football team to a 39-10 win at North Canton.
The win completes McKinley’s 7-0 run through the Federal League. It also allows the Bulldogs to take a 9-0 record into next Saturday’s showdown with Massillon, also 9-0. It will be the first time in 41 years both enter the Week 10 matchup 9-0.
“It’s real big to win like this as we get ready for what’s next,” McKinley head coach Brian Cross said.
All nine wins have come by at least 21 points for McKinley, ranked No. 4 in the state in Division I.
Friday’s game was close for two quarters before McKinley broke away. Williams gained 154 yards in the third quarter alone, when the Bulldogs outscored the Vikings, 17-0.
When told he tied Ryan Brinson’s year-old single-game rushing record, Williams offered a surprised, “I did?”
Williams ran the ball 27 times and scored four touchdowns, including runs of 67 and 65 yards in the first half. He becomes just the second Bulldog to eclipse 300 yards.
“It didn’t even feel like a 300-yard game,” Williams said. “I knew I had a lot, but I didn’t think it was that many.”
Williams did know his line gave him huge holes.
“They did a great job, the best they’ve done all year,” he said. “And they’re going to get better.”
Williams had 225 yards before he keyed a 93-yard TD drive in the third quarter. Eight of the 11 plays belonged to Williams, who gained 67 yards.
“I told the guys in the huddle, ‘Let’s keep it going, put it in the end zone and put this game away,’ ” Williams said.
He scored from 10 yards out, taking a handoff to the left and cutting it back to the right with 3:10 left in the third.
A quick defensive stop and a short punt got the Bulldogs the ball back with 1:41 left in the third — plenty of time for Willams. He went for 15 yards on second down, setting up his 30-yard TD on the next play.
What was just a 19-10 lead was now 33-10 and growing.
“Their linemen are good and their back’s good,” North Canton head coach Don Hertler Jr. said. “We couldn’t do anything more to take it away from them. Their X’s are just better than our O’s. ... we got a little better tonight, but we’re still not where we need to be. ”
Cross rested Williams the entire fourth quarter. And midway through the quarter the offensive line joined him. Tackles Zach Slagle and Jarrid Haywood, guards Tyrell McDonald and Anthony Robinson and center Drew McIntyre left en masse to an ovation.
“It was a salute to our to the offensive line,” Cross said. “I’ve been on them all year, on them hard. But they’ve worked hard and so have their coaches (Lynn Wafler and Gary Shier).”
The first half was more of a struggle. The Bulldogs, with Massillon on the horizon, lacked focus at times. They had special teams breakdowns and some foolish penalties.
And the Vikings came to play.
“I knew coming in we would have a tough time,” Cross said. “... They’re so well-coached, and they did some things that made it difficult.”
North Canton’s Kyle Feinberg returned the opening kick 54 yards to set up Alex Bojko’s 32-yard field goal.
McKinley went into quick-strike mode to answer. Williams ran through a huge hole to his left on his way to a 67-yard TD. Zack Campbell’s PAT made the score 7-3 with 7:36 left in the first quarter.
A Mark Jackson interception a minute later led to a 31-yard field goal by Campbell.
The Vikings tied the game at 10 when Scott Gnau scored on a 20-yard pass from Josh Nettleton late in the half.
Again, the Bulldogs answered in a hurry. On their second play of the ensuing possession, Williams dashed 65 yards for a score through the right side on a counter. The Bulldogs missed the PAT, leaving their lead at 16-10.
Campbell’s 39-yard field goal early in the third quarter increased the lead to 19-10 before Williams took over and McKinley pulled away. Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]
How good is McKinley?
Thursday, October 27, 2005 By Chris Beaven Repository sports writer
Related Stories
Countdown to McKinley-Massillon: Where were you in ’64?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ready for the game but never ready for what comes with it
Game frozen in memory
Massillon certainly is better than last year
How good is McKinley? Bulldogs have heard question all season — game will give answer
CANTON - The question hangs over them. They heard it before the high school football season, as they replaced 90 percent of their offensive production. They hear it now, even with a perfect record as the regular season nears its end. How good are the McKinley Bulldogs?
Their 9-0 record indicates they’re very good. So does their No. 4 ranking in the Division I poll. But their coach also knows they have yet to be tested by a team of equal talent.
That changes Saturday at 2 p.m., when McKinley meets 9-0 Massillon in the 113th matchup of Ohio’s oldest rivals. A sellout crowd in excess of 22,000 will fill Fawcett Stadium.
“This week we’ll find out how good we really are,” head coach Brian Cross said.
McKinley comes in outscoring opponents by an average score of 41-9.
Tailback Morgan Williams, running behind a strong line, has gained 1,701 yards. Receiver Joe Morgan has a school-record 11 touchdown catches, as he and quarterback Dan Grimsley average 30 yards a connection. The defense, with five starters back, has been dominant, yielding just 36 points in the first three quarters of games.
The Bulldogs overpowered their first nine opponents. They have yet to be challenged beyond the third quarter.
That leads to that question ...
“I know people are going to say we play in the Federal League; we haven’t played anybody; and Massillon’s played St. Ignatius and Elder,” Cross said.
Skeptics will say the Federal League is down. Cross, though, thinks his team’s seven league games were good preparation for what lies ahead.
“I like the Federal League schedule,” he said. “... You see spread, ... I-formation teams, teams that will throw, teams that will run. You also see 5-3 defenses, the 50, the 4-4 ... The only thing you don’t see is a lot of speed. But you do see a lot of well-coached teams.”
This week the Bulldogs will see a team with speed, size and is very well-coached.
“They are definitely the best team we’ve played,” Cross said. “They have a great running back, a quarterback that’s very accurate and, what’s more important, makes great decisions. And defensively, they’ve proven to be one of the best defenses around. It’ll be a challenge to move the ball against them because nobody has.”
The Bulldogs have moved the ball virtually at will. They break big plays with ease, as shown by their 27 TD plays of 30 or more yards.
McKinley’s first team defense has allowed just a handful of scoring drives. It is loaded with heavy hitters, including linemen D.C. Alexander, Darius Williams and Anthony Robinson, linebackers Mike Kirksey and Jeff Vaughn, and defensive backs Harriel Moore, Mark Jackson and Brian Williams.
“We’ve had some guys come through,” Cross said.
McKinley needed that to happen to overcome graduation losses from last year’s state runner-up team. The Bulldogs had to replace career-rushing leader Ryan Brinson, among others.
“We thought we had a chance to be pretty good if certain guys came through,” Cross said.
Morgan Williams has put up similar numbers as Brinson. Kirksey is a two-way standout at fullback and linebacker. Grimsley has developed at quarterback. Drew McIntyre stepped up at center to complete a strong line alongside guards Tyrell McDonald and Robinson, and tackles Jarrid Haywood and Zach Slagle.
“We thought, with our defense, if we could score two touchdowns a game, we had a chance to win all of our games going into the 10th game,” Cross said. “And that’s pretty much what happened. No one’s scored more than 10 points against (the starting defense), and obviously we’ve been able to score more than two touchdowns a game.”
Cross wants to see his team take its game to another level.
“To be a team that makes it deep in the playoffs, we have to be ... very consistent,” he said. “We have to eliminate turnovers and minimize penalties.”
Turnovers and penalties have been a problem. The Bulldogs, though, are plus-5 in giveaways/takeaways the last two weeks when they played their two strongest opponents — Jackson and North Canton.
McKinley also had its two defining moments of the season in those games.
At Jackson two weeks ago, McKinley’s 14-point lead early in the third quarter appeared to be on the verge of being cut in half. The Polar Bears used 18 plays to move 75 yards before McKinley’s defense made something happen on the 19th play. Moore forced a fumble, and Alexander returned it 98 yards for a TD. Game over.
“Then we turned around and stopped them right away,” Cross said. “The defense had to come back on the field after being out there 19 plays, and stopped them. That was good.”
Last week at North Canton, the offense turned the game around. The Bulldogs led, 19-10, in the third quarter when North Canton pinned them at their 7.
“We went 93 yards for the TD,” Cross said. “That was the best drive of the year.”
Cross looks at those situations as the best example of “showing our will to win.”
That will should get tested Saturday afternoon.
How they respond to that test will determine how good these McKinley Bulldogs are. Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail: [email protected]
ONN to air Pups-Tigers on tape delay
Friday, October 28, 2005 Related Stories
High school sports schedule
McKinley gears up for big game
Signs of victory in Massillon
The Ohio News Network will air Saturday’s McKinley-Massillon game on tape-delay at 6 p.m.
Kickoff is 2 p.m. at sold-out Fawcett Stadium.
ONN is available only to Canton Time Warner digital subscribers at position 119.
OHSAA pairings televised The Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoff pairings will be released Sunday on ONN. The program will air from noon-2 p.m. ONN will also televise all six state championship games live during the weekend of Dec. 2-3.
CANTON, Ohio (AP) - Morgan Williams rushed for 234 yards and four touchdowns, leading No. 4 Canton McKinley to a 38-8 victory over No. 3 Massillon Washington on Saturday before a sellout crowd of more than 22,000 at Fawcett Stadium.
Williams, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior, had touchdown runs of 1, 6, 14 and 2 yards, as the Bulldogs won the 113th meeting between the Stark County rivals. The Bulldogs have won the last three games in the series, but the Tigers hold a 59-49-5 overall advantage.
McKinley completed its sixth 10-0 regular season and first since 1995. It was just the fifth time _ and first since 1964 _ that both teams entered the game unbeaten.
Williams had 193 yards rushing at the half, helping the Bulldogs build a 14-0 lead.
Massillon averted the shutout when defensive back Troy Ellis returned an interception 50 yards for a third-quarter score. McKinley's defense limited Massillon to 124 yards, including 56 rushing, and did not surrender a touchdown.
Mark Jackson caught a 21-yard TD pass from Dan Grimsley for the Bulldogs' other score.
He had 4 TDs.
I'm not so sure about this being their first undefeated season since 95? I thought Doss' team did it.
Photo Gallery - Massillon at McKinley
Morgan Williams
By Gary Housteau
Date: Oct 30, 2005
With 24,242 people in the stands at Fawcett Stadium on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in October, McKinley handed their longtime rival a good old-fashioned spanking. The numbers tell the story quite accurately. McKinley had 249 yards on the ground, Massillon 56. McKinley had 90 in the air, Massillon 68. McKinley had 70 offensive plays to Massillon's 47. Time of possession favored McKinley 31 minutes to 17. Morgan Williams was the star of the game rushing for 234 yards and four touchdowns.
Photo Gallery - The 113th Renewal Of The Proud Massillon-McKinley Series
Junior running back Morgan Williams had 40 carries for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Joe Morgan had 5 catches for 56 yards.
On offense, senior Mark Jackson had 2 catches for 34 yards, including a beautiful 21-yard toucdown catch.
Senior defensive back Harriel Moore
Senior linebacker Mike Kirksey
Junior running back/defensive back Brian Gamble
Gamble rushed 15 times for 47 yards and had 2 catches for 17 yards.
Senior defensive end Antonio James is headed to Illinois on a scholarship next season.
Senior FB/LB Robert Morris had 2 carries for 10 yards on offense.
Senior DT Kirk Dickerhoof
Senior tight end Brett Huffman is going to Duke on a scholarship next season. Huffman had 1 catch for 3 yards.
Massillon captains
McKinley captains
Massillon cheerleaders
McKinley cheerleaders
OSU's Tyler Everett leads his alma mater on to the field in a familiar formation.
Former Bulldogs Mike Doss and Everett were on the McKinley sideline. As was Cleveland Cavalier and former Bulldog Eric Snow.
Morgan muffed the opening kickoff but recovered it at the 14-yard line to start the game.
Junior Andrew Dailey had a strong game on defense.
Morris gains 6 yards on this carry.
Gamble returned 2 kickoffs for 3 yards.
Williams was averaging 183 yards per game going into the contest. Williams was averaging 183 yards a game going into the contest.
Williams is about to break off a 47-yard on this play...
...down to the 7 yard line.
Two plays later the McKinley offense scored on a 1-yard run by Williams to give Massillon a 7-0 lead with 4:14 remaining in the first quarter.
One of Dailey's four kickoff returns that totaled 117 yards. This one went for 15 yards.
Gamble at tailback.
Junior Dan Grimsley completed 7 of 21 passes for 90 yards and 1 TD.
Senior Troy Ellis is a ball hawk at cornerback.
Jackson hauls in the this 21-yard pass from Grimsley in the second quarter to give McKinley a 14-0 halftime advantage.
Junior DE Dardisi Alexander had a very active game on defense for McKinley.
Junior defensive back William Sheeler jumps this route and gets one of the four Massillon INTs on the day.
William Sheeler
Senior linebacker Jeff Vaughn after a nice pass breakup on this play.
Junior quarterback Bobby Huth was 8 of 18 passing for 61 yards with three INTs.
Huth was sacked by Alexander on this play.
This 12-yard catch and run by Morgan was one of his best plays of the day.
Dailey and Gamble try to figure things out while a injured teammate is down.
This 6-yard TD run gave McKinley a 21-0 lead in the third quarter.
This 38-yard field goal by junior Zach Campbell made it 24-0 in the third.
Grimsley attempts a pass in the flat that gets picked off...
...by Ellis and takes it back 50 yards for a touchdown. A 2-point conversion made the score 24-8 with just 24 seconds remaining in the third period.
Senior LB Joe Grimsley, #31, draws a beat on Gamble on this play. Grimsley also had one of the four INTs for the McKinley defense.
Dan Grimsley rushed 4 times for 18 yards. He gained 21 yards on this nifty run.
Tom Stacy and Brian Cross meet after the game.
Dan Grimsley looks pumped about the victory.
Cross entertains the media after the game.
And there are even bigger days ahead for this pair of juniors, Alexander...
...and Williams.
(8) Brunswick (9-1) at (1) Can. McKinley (10-0)